Style points

In this topic

Use a single symbol
Use different colors
Use different-sized symbols

When you add data from your business system to a map, Esri Maps for IBM Cognos creates a layer and displays the data using a default style (symbol). These layers, and certain layers added from ArcGIS, can be styled using different icons or shapes, colors, and grouping.

One way to style a point layer is using a single symbol to represent all of the features in the layer. Another way is to divide the point features into groups and style each group with a different color. Alternatively, if your data has numeric fields, you may choose to style each group with a different-sized symbol. For example, you may want to use different point colors or sizes to show retailers classified by profit.

As you modify the style options for your layer, the map automatically updates to reflect your settings.

For more information on styling layers, see Feature display and style.

Use a single symbol

In the Contents pane, click the Configure layer button beside the layer whose style you want to configure.
Click Style.
You can use an icon or a shape to style a point layer. Do one of the following:
- To style the layer with an icon, choose the icon you want to use. To see additional icons, click the drop-down arrow, choose a desired category, and choose the icon you want.
- To style the layer with a shape, click the drop-down arrow and choose Shapes. Choose the shape and color you want.
Use the Size slider to specify the desired size for the icon or shape.
The map automatically updates to reflect the style options you specified.
Click OK.

Use different colors

In the Contents pane, click the Configure layer button beside the layer that you want to style.
Click Style.
Click the On/Off selector beside Style by column? to turn on group styles.
From the Choose column to group drop-down menu, choose the column you want to use for grouping.
If the column you chose does not contain numeric data, do the following:
1. From the Symbol drop-down menu, choose Shapes, and choose the shape you want.
2. From the Color scheme drop-down menu, choose the scheme you want.
3. Optionally, change the color for any of the individual categories as needed.
4. Skip to step 9.
If the column you chose contains numeric data, choose one of the following from the Group column values by drop-down menu:
- Number ranges—Classify values into groups by numeric order and assign a group style.
- Categories—Assign a style to each unique value.
  You can style up to 50 features with unique values.
Tip:
If your data contains a column that has a URL to a specific icon you want to use to style your point layer, choose Categories from the Group column values by drop-down menu, and then choose the appropriate column from the Choose column with icon Url drop-down menu.
If you chose Number ranges from the Group column values by drop-down menu, do the following:
1. From the Symbol drop-down menu, choose Shapes, and choose the shape you want. Under Style using, click Colors.
2. From the Classification method drop-down menu, choose the desired grouping method.
  For additional information on each of these methods, see Feature display and style.
3. Using the Number of groups slider, specify the number of groups to use for the data. You can have between two and seven groups.
4. Choose the desired colors from the Color ramp drop-down menu. Check the Reverse colors check box to reverse the colors in the selected color ramp.
5. If you want to define your own groups using manual breaks classification, adjust the groups as desired by dragging the slider bars or typing new values. To draw features with missing or out-of-range data on the map, turn on the Draw features with out of range or no value option. You can also click Legend to manually edit the labels for the groups in the map legend.
If you chose Categories from the Group column values by drop-down menu, do the following:
1. From the Symbol drop-down menu, choose Shapes, and choose the shape you want.
2. Choose the desired colors from the Color scheme drop-down menu.
3. Optionally, change the color for any of the individual categories as needed.

Note:

If you turn on the Clustering option for a layer styled using shapes grouped by category, clusters will display as pie charts at the appropriate zoom level. Pie chart clustering is available only for shapes; clusters for layers styled using symbols will display as a solid circle. For more information, see Configure clustering.

Use the Size slider to specify the desired size for the shape.
Click OK when finished.
Your style settings are displayed on the map. You may have to turn off clustering to see individual point symbols. See Configure clustering.

Use different-sized symbols

In the Contents pane, click the Configure layer button beside the layer that you want to style.
Click Style.
Click the On/Off selector beside Style by column? to turn on group styles.
From the Choose column to group drop-down menu, choose a column containing numeric data.
From the Group column values by drop-down menu, choose Number ranges.
This classifies values into groups by numeric order and assigns a group style.
Click the Symbol drop-down arrow and do one of the following:
- To style your data with an icon, choose a category and choose the icon you want.
- To style your data with a shape, click the Symbol drop-down arrow, choose Shapes, and choose the shape you want to use.
You will have a Style using choice if you are styling a shape. Click Sizes. If you are styling an icon, you will not see this option.
From the Classification method drop-down menu, choose the desired grouping method.
For additional information on each of these methods, see Feature display and style.
Using the Number of groups slider, specify the number of groups to use for the data. You can have between two and seven groups.
Use the Minimum and Maximum Sizes slider to specify the minimum and maximum sizes for the symbols.
If you want to define your own groups using manual breaks classification, adjust the groups as desired by dragging the slider bars or typing new values. To draw features with missing or out-of-range data on the map, turn on the Draw features with out of range or no value option. You can also click Legend to manually edit the labels for the groups in the map legend.
Click OK when finished.
Your style settings are displayed on the map. You may have to turn off clustering to see individual point symbols. See Configure clustering.